Output is closing its doors on New Year’s Day

You waited in line there for the jam-packed Horsemeat Disco sweat-fest, danced the night away to Victor Calderone at Trade, and had special moments on the massive outdoor patio with the Manhattan skyline. Now you’ll have the last chance to have one last dance at the legendary Output nightclub in Brooklyn.

In a statement released last Tuesday, the owners said that a “confluence of factors contributed to the club’s misfortune; rapidly shifting social trends, unfavorable market conditions and weakening financial outlooks coincided with the simultaneous emergence of multiple existential challenges to the club’s circumstances.”

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Jake Resnicow, who will be hosting the closing party with his “Rhythm Nation” party with DJ Cindel, wrote on Facebook, “Saddened to learn of the Closing of Output at the end of this year. It is one of the best nightclubs in the world and I have so many fond memories…”

Output’s demise the the last in a long string of NYC nightlife closures in recent years. Manhattan venues like the legendary Webster Hall have been closing for years. Output, which opened in 2013 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was one of the first big house and techno clubs that wasn’t in an underground warehouse.

“When OUTPUT launched in 2013 it was Brooklyn’s first full-sized licensed venue dedicated to House and Techno,” the statement noted. “Fast forward to the present and the Brooklyn scene is booming beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. NYC is not only back on the map, it is once again one of the most vibrant hotbeds of club culture worldwide. OUTPUT having played a part in that revival is, and will always be, a source of great pride and gratification for everyone involved.”

Dear OUTPUT community at-large,
For our cherished home OUTPUT, it is that inevitable time of night when the last song has faded and the lights are coming up to signal the end of an epic journey… and just like that – poof – the party is over. It is with that same familiar mix of melancholy sentimentality and deep satisfaction that we announce the permanent closure of OUTPUT, as of Jan 1, 2019.

This sudden turn of events may seem shocking to many, but for those of us watching from the inside, we have seen the writing on the wall for some time. A confluence of factors contributed to the club’s misfortune; rapidly shifting social trends, unfavorable market conditions and weakening financial outlooks coincided with the simultaneous emergence of multiple existential challenges unique to the club’s circumstances. The mounting situation led to one unfortunate yet unavoidable conclusion; for OUTPUT to continue as a viable enterprise, the business model and mode of operation would need to change drastically, in ways that would likely betray the mission on which the brand was founded. Facing the prospect of taking great risks on uncertain outcomes just to keep the club open in some diminished capacity, the day-to-day operators who founded the club and have been at the helm throughout, made the painstaking decision to reject compromise and instead close OUTPUT with the club’s hard-earned reputation intact.

Although endings are bittersweet, we are forever grateful for the past six years, a practical eon in the club world. When OUTPUT launched in 2013 it was Brooklyn’s first full-sized licensed venue dedicated to House and Techno. The mission was to establish a proper home for the music-focused underground which had been displaced by Manhattan’s wealth and celebrity-obsessed nightlife, one that would hopefully do justice to the city’s long history of leadership in the global club scene and measure up to the top international destinations of the day. Fast forward to the present and the Brooklyn scene is booming beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. NYC is not only back “on the map,” it is once again one of the most vibrant hotbeds of club culture worldwide. OUTPUT having played a part in that revival is, and will always be, a source of great pride and gratification for everyone involved.

Achievements aside, it is the countless memories of good times had to the tune of great music with friends old and new that we will prize most highly. There are far too many highlight moments to recount, but without our patrons, our DJs and our staff there would be none so we wish to acknowledge our deepest appreciation for all three.

First, to the OUTPUT faithful – you know who you are. Your unbridled enthusiasm and steady support inspired and sustained the club. Thank you for coming time and again, for introducing your friends and for spreading the love of underground music and club culture. It has been a singular privilege to welcome and serve you through the years.

Next, we wish to thank the thousands of DJs and performers, locals and international stars alike who lent their time and talent, breathing boundless energy, creativity and magic into every party. Our respect for their pursuit of their craft knows no limits and we have taken particular pleasure in hosting them while providing a platform for their artistic expression.

And last, praise is due our tireless staff, indeed our family. They have upheld the highest standards of professionalism in every aspect of the operation from the top-level managers to those who do the back breaking work that too often goes unnoticed. Their passion, motivation and kinship formed the heart of the club and we all owe them a heavy debt. Should you make it to the club in it the final weeks, please take a moment to thank them personally.

Fittingly, the club’s storied tenure will conclude with a New Year’s Eve marathon by John Digweed, a DJ whose professionalism and decades-long dedication to electronic dance music and club culture are emblematic of the values on which OUTPUT was proudly founded. In the lead up to that final night we look forward to welcoming the entire OUTPUT community for one last dance as we celebrate the times we’ve shared with some of the top DJs who have been regular fixtures including Seth Troxler, Hot Since 82, DJ Three, Oscar G and Danny Tenaglia.

What comes next we do not know but rest assured the beat will go on and in some capacity or another we will be there to meet you again on a dance floor somewhere soon. Until then, be excellent to each other and party on.